Enigma
by LimeyMelodies
Summary: This is slightly cannon, but a lot of playing with Tony's curiosity streak. A daughter of one of the Avengers has been hired to take Agent Coulson's position for organization and security in the S.H.I.E.L.D. intelligence and technological divisions. But, who's kid is this?
1. Meet Elle

Tony Stark was busy at his work, surrounded by his own creations. The halograms that sensed and reacted to motion, Jarvis his (nearly) constant companion was always loyal and wise, the robots were still needing to be tweaked but generally did well. They all obeyed his command. Here, he was in his element, his happy place and his stomping ground. As expected from an earlier alert from Jarvis, his stomping ground was invaded by a squad of women. Two out of three he knew. Pepper and the ever-mysterious and alluring Agent Romanoff were easily recognized, but the third that Jarvis referred to as "an apparent guest" and Pepper referred to her as Elle. _Or El... or simply L._  
The young lady had to be in her early twenties and seemed somewhat in shell-shock over the overwhelming presence of technology in the lab. She quietly followed the others, looking around in a silent awe. Her lips almost seemed glued shut. Tony even ventured a studious eye to see if they had been sewn shut or for residue on the outside of the light pink and somewhat narrow pair. They were there but nothing like the plump lips such as Natasha. As they spoke, she had a surprisingly strong and firm voice, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, sir."  
"Elle is actually a specially guest of the secrete organization that I have no knowledge of," cheekily, comments Pepper as she sets a case file down for Tony to pick up. He willing does so and starts looking over the girl's information. Sure enough the girl is called Elle Ross. She was adopted to a family who lived in eastern Omaha, Nebraska. She shows a great amount of intelligence and was the successful patient of an experimental procedure in which a stillborn can be brought back to life. She was amazing and yet unremarkable unless provoked out of her thoughts, it seemed.  
"Do you know who your real parents are?" mused the genius out loud. He blinked as the unfamiliar hand pulled the S.H.I.E.L.D. folder away from him. He grinned as their seemed to be an emotional response from her. _Interesting, so she does allow some emotions show._  
"Actually, that's why I'm joining S.H.I.E.L.D., to be honest," she more softly answers. "My grandparents never were people to live lies. They taught me from a young age that I was the daughter of their daughter and a man who I would need to find. They even were as honest with me as to show me my mother's grave. I'm here to not only to meet my father, but help him... Anything else?" Her last sentence has the same firmness she presented earlier. She was neither beautiful nor hideous. She had hazel eyes behind thin black plastic frames, her honey brown hair was pulled back into a simple pony tail, and she a had a faint tan to her. She was not that impressive on the outside. But, she was impressive on the inside.  
Tony was curious."Yeah, who's your dad?"  
"Not you, obviously," Elle curtly answered and walked around, hands strictly on the folder in front of her. "I haven't been able to be around such awesomeness in a long time."  
"You mean, technology like this?" Tony watched her as she dared not to touch anything._ Is this from being polite or was she trying to show something else? And, is that a slight limp in her gait?_  
Natasha chuckled and joined Elle. She knew was a techno-geek but the look on the young woman's face was the same as if looking into a miracle. _Like an art lover looking into a gorgeous painting, a person regaining hearing... indescribable enjoyment and elation. It's beautiful. I knew he choice to visit Stark would be best_. "Elle was a major on technology, but she mostly about music," commented the red head. _Sure enough, there goes his eyebrows and now he'll be thinking harder_.  
"So, do you incorporate music into your work or the tech into your music?" asked the genius. He leaned against one of his counters and sipped on some coffee.  
"Music theory into my work. It's a bit harder to get hacked into when you don't always speak geek, you know?" answered Elle. She looked over at the well-known tech genius. _Is it me or was Tony Stark was just grinning at my answer? What is going on in that mad and yet brilliant mind of his?_  
"I know who your father is..."  
"Don't ruin it for the rest of the class, Stark," commented back, Elle.  
"Well, Elle just wanted to meet you first. She has other people to meet and then she'll be working on security and planning systems for the main system," stated Natasha as she leads the younger girl out the lab. As all of them knew, Tony's curiousity was going to spike with this comment.  
"Planning and security?" Tony sat down his coffee and followed them. He barely noticed as Pepper picked up his refurbished and refined suitcase suit. _So, they think they're gonna drag me in with this? They better try better._  
"Yep, stuff to help out Fury since Coulson's not around to keep an eye on everything for him and organize things as much anymore. We're going to visit his grave if your interested..." answered the assassin.  
Tony nodded not even fully realizing he had followed them all the way out of the lab and back upstairs. He suddenly wasn't so sure who this girl was related to anymore. "Elle, is it?"  
"That's the name I was given..." she answered more playfully. Perhaps she had felt more confident with the advantage of a mystery that Tony couldn't give up.  
"Ellie, is your dad alive?"  
"My 'dad', you mean the man who raised me?"  
"Well, your biological father, of course."  
"Oh, you want to know if my birth dad is alive."  
"Yes, I would appreciate that."  
"Do you really want to know?"  
"That is implied, yes. Is he alive?"  
They were on the roof as Tony answered this. Of course, there was a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicopter waiting and running for them to all to load. The buffeting noise was the perfect cover. "My father is..." is all Tony could hear from her. They boarded the craft and Pepper handed him his suitcase suit. Tony nodded a thank you as the S.H.I.E.L.D chopper lifted off leaving Pepper waving at the three good-bye as they headed out.  
"So, Ellie, your answer was kinda muffled out there," commented Tony after a few minutes. He nearly flinched when she glared at him. From over the head sets all of them heard her ask, "Excuse me?" Quickly the genius backpedaled as he added, "I'm sorry, I didn't know you didn't like that name. What I meant was... I didn't get to hear your answer on your father when we got on the roof and.."  
She started laughing and waved her hand, "Sorry, Mr. Stark I had to do that to you. And, I know, I wanted it that way..."  
"That was not nice," he grumbled. His pouting stupor distracted him just long enough for them to arrive at Steve Roger's favorite park. Sure enough, the ancient young man smiled and waved at the chopper as it arrived. He helped Natasha and Ellie out as they walked away from the chopper and pilot actually killed the engine this time. After a few minutes the man-made pond calmed to a nearly complete placid state. Steve was chumming it up offering the young lady the crook of his arm as she and the assassin followed him to a pair of concrete benches near the pond's cattails and a couple of trees.


	2. Fangirls Ruin Everything (Or Do They?)

"It's such an honor to finally meet you, Captain Rogers," Elle was... sweetly saying to a lightly blushing Steve.  
"Please, it's just Steve, Miss Ross," he answered and sat between Natasha and the giggling girl. _What? She's acting so sweet now! What does Rogers do to deserve such sickening sweetness_!*Tony sat across from the trio on the other bench, studying Steve and Elle's interaction. _Is that a blush on her cheeks? Man, she must be better than Agent Romanoff._ He looked at the Russian and saw a careful eye on both Rogers and Ross. _She seems pretty protective of her... does she have connections to her?_ Tony rubbed his brow and smiled slightly at a comment dragging him into the conversation.  
"Can you believe she was born in this generation, Tony?" Steve delightedly commented. It was true, from how Elle was acting around Steve she was born a few generations too late.  
Elle giggled and blushed brighter as she commented, "You have to remember who raised me... My grams and gramps adore you and your work back in the war..." She gasped and dug around in her large bag, pulling out a foot-by-by foot square box. "Oh! Grams would **kill me** if I didn't give you these..." She handed Steve the cardboard box, tied with twine. "As soon as she found found out I was gonna meet you she wanted to send you some stuff." I hope you'll enjoy them.  
Steve blushed and took the box. "Awfully heavy for ya, wasn't it?" The box was set on the table. "Do I need to open it now, or?"  
"Doesn't matter to me. It's between my grams, Maria, and you, sir. But, I do ask you write her... ya know, a thank you note sometime... if you don't mind, of course, I know you're not always ... free to...", she studdered and cleared her throat. She still held that warm look as she blushed and looked at Tony. She nervously commented."Oh, Mr. Stark, I have something I want you to look at once we get to S.H.I.E.L.D. It's a little pet project I have been working on... that is if you're available."  
"Is that why you're making me wonder who your father is? To drag me over to critic your science fair project?" he asked dryly. He noticed how cruel that could have been taken. She seemed to be scathed by the comment but not detered.  
"So to speak, sir," she chuckled.  
Natasha's brow rose noting that the girl has only been genuinely happy around Steve. _Weird. Usually his "Oh, goodness..." wholesomeness usually made other's weary and yet his presence. Yet, Elle... Elle must be used to it from her grandparents._ She looked at the younger and yet oldest Avenger and chuckled. _Of course, the two are about the same age... so to speak. _She surprised when Stark stood up and offered a hand to Elle.  
He sighed explained, "Come on, I'm sure Cap is wanting to open his present and I want to see that little surprise for me." He smirked as she accepted his hand and stood up.  
"I'm sure you'll be less likely to insult my work once we get it adjusted to your liking, sir," she looked over at Steve as if to ask if he was coming. Steve, already standing up from when she stood, nodded. _Thank goodness. Someone who will get me will be around._  
"Agent Romanoff, what's our next stop? Pick up Banner?" asked the genius as he led the group to the chopper, Elle's arm gingerly hooked with his. From his right, Steve carries the box that was apparently from Mrs. Ross.  
"Actually, Dr. Banner is going to be meeting us at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hovercraft. He said he wanted to set some things up before bringing in a new person."  
"I was wondering why he left today," mused Tony as he insists on guiding not only Elle, but also helps Natasha and offers to help Steve who shakes his head and chuckles. He enters and sits down, putting on the headset. "I see I misjudged my roommate's actions of preparation as some... release."  
"No, apparently, he wants to make sure the security and tactical analyst will have nothing to do," joked Elle and pulled a tablet out, looking some information up. "Apparently, Agent Hill is confused on how to keep him distracted and leaving me to do my job. He really needs to place less responsibility on himself."  
The other three chuckle. "Obviously, you don't know Dr. Banner," commented Steve. "He's a very serious guy. He probably needs something to keep him busy. You guys know him better, what would be best?" He looked at the other two for support. (This was Steve talk for: I don't know what you not so young kids do for fun. We used to play kick the can.)  
"Video games," simultaneously answer Elle and Tony. Tony raises a brow at her and adds, "Don't tell me you have taste as well."  
"Please, I'm not completely old school gamer, but I'm sure I can take you at Ms. Pac-Man," she winked at him after her threat. Her apparel of a t-shirt, sweater, skirt, and canvas hi-tops suddenly made a lot more sense.  
_She was born outside of any generation._ "We'll have to test that sometime, little miss," mused Tony and went back to studying her.  
Steve kept shaking the box gently, trying to figure out what's inside without opening it. Elle caught him and stopped him. Her hand grazed against his forearm just enough to get his attention and returned to the tablet. "I wouldn't do that, sir. Some of the stuff is a bit older."  
He nodded and smiled. "Much obliged."  
"Not at all a problem. Again, it's my grams you should thank my grams."  
Natasha asked, "What is it anyways?"  
"I dunno. Grams said she wanted the package to him. I let the people of S.H.I.E.L.D. clear it but told them not to tell me the contents and I was told to re-tie the twine. That and I'm supposed to make sure it's handled with care is all I know."  
"I understand that you have been working on somethings for Agent Barton and I," Natasha cautiously commented, wanting to find out more. _What does she have up her sleeve for us?_  
"Yes, I actually have been working on some things for everyone, actually, ma'am," she answered quietly. "I wanted everyone to have a good idea of who I am, not that I'm related to someone on the inside."  
"So, these little surprises aren't because you're such a huge fan of us all," commented Tony.  
"Oh, no... those are different projects. These are much more productive, sir," she smirked. "But, yes, because I am thankful for you all for saving so many lives I'm working on something to show my thanks later on.


	3. A Salute to a Soldier

"He was a sweetheart," softly commented Elle. "I wish I was able to thank him." Steve nodded, standing formally at the grave next to her. Natasha and Tony stayed at the chopper.  
"What connection does she have with Coulson?"asked Tony, sipping on some coffee that they grabbed before arriving here, the field not far from the cemetary. It was a nice quiet and lovely spot surrounded by trees and pasture. The trees were starting to change color._ I'm sure Coulson would go here if he was still alive. He seemed to love the simple life._  
"He was the first of S.H.I.E.L.D. to contact her about her abilities and her father," answers the assassin who sips on some hot chocolate. "Without his effort to recruit her, she'd probably wouldn't have any family to turn to except her grandmother, who lives in a nursing home."  
"Better than no family at all, I guess," commented the genius. Immediately, he wondered which would be better. _No parents at all or having to watch one die and the other slowly follow. _He shook the thought away and kept his eyes on any possible attack. "You seem pretty protective of her. Is there a connection to her that you won't admit?"  
"They're coming back, I'll have them start up the chopper," with that the assassin left the inventor to his own thoughts.  
A few moments later, Elle, shyly, looks into the dark eyes of Tony Stark with a watery pair of her own, and he feels something. She released a staggered gasp as he wiped a tear away. The stagger could only be felt, the blades too loud and the breathe in the air was only a puff. She signs to him in ASL, "Thank you," and accepts Steve's hand up.  
The ride was long enough she was eventually curled up under a pea coat, using her bag as something to hold onto. Her head rested against the head rest of her spot. Headset was around her neck, replaced by a cap made to look like a face of a raccoon missing an eye. Steve moved over and sat next to Tony. His voice was somewhat soft over the system, "Hey, Tony, what was that hand sign thing she did to you?"  
He chuckled and answered his confused teammate, "American Sign Language." He added after a moment, "Deaf people and people who cannot speak sometimes use it."  
"What was she saying?" Steve's eyebrows furrowed.  
"She was telling me thanks."  
"Oh," answered the super soldier for a while. They watched as Natasha pulled a blanket over the young woman and sat close to her. After she locked in and began reading from a tablet, Steve commented, "She's pretty fond of her, huh?"  
"Seems like you are as well, Time Warp," commented Stark.  
Steve cleared his throat, "She can relate... to being out of touch with time. If that makes sense."  
"Yes, because you two being able to sing Eisenhower's campaign jingle is what alliances are built on."  
"Stark, as witty as you like to think your self to be and as intelligent as you may be, there are still some things you won't understand," irritatedly answers Steve.  
Tony was surprised by the sudden hostility. He moved quickly to de-escalate the situation. He calmly asked, knowing outside his suit Steve could crush him. "Oh, and what is that, Steve?"  
"What it's like to be unable to thank the person who saved your life for the miracle they brought into your life," he answered. "That guilt... the humility..."  
Despite the deep impact that this stranger has apparently made on the young/old Avenger, Tony mused, "I thought it was because Eisenhower was after your ice bed..."  
Steve sighed and looked over at him. At first still irritated, then he chuckled and added, "You're a piece of work. You know they caught me up with a lot of that stuff... So, technically she and I could sing it together, as long as she knows it." Teasingly, the Star-Spangled Man added, "What could you sing with her, Tony?" He then stood and walked around, thankful for the ability to not only walk around but allow Tony to mull over what he said. _He needs to understand this isn't just a kid to S.H.I.E.L.D. or to most of us. She's got to be close to us to keep in communication and to keep us safe. This kid is going to be our pin to keep us all in place... Including him._  
Before anyone realized she was awake, Elle's voice croaked over the system. "I'm up. How long until I can start trying to convince Fury that analog wouldn't be so bad to have around."  
Natasha giggled and Stark answered, "Worried that your gaming system won't connect, kiddo?"  
"Let's just say I have a gift that Hill suggested for our Doctor..." she alluded. "She said he wanted one when you all were first on the heliport... heli-craft. Thingamajig..."  
"Interesting, so this surprise that you have for me..." alluded the genius. He'd keep scratching at the surface until he could see what's underneath enough to get an idea what's below it. He knew eventually he'd find out the identity of her father, so now it was back to what he was going to have to fix.  
"You'll see, _gato_," she laughed lightly and stretched.  
Steve sat back down next to Tony and asked, "By the way, why didn't wear your headset, the chopper is probably nosier than us, right?"  
"Oh, good you, y'all didn't hear," she simply answered at first, folding the blanket. After she unbuckled herself, pulled her pea coat, and rubbed her legs he chuckled. "I have a nasal deviated septum..."  
Natasha and Steve were both lost here. "Had it since birth?"asked Tony. Steve looked closer at her. _She doesn't look like she has anything deviated..._  
"Yeah, they could fix dead but they dared not to fix snoring," dryly added Elle.  
All three laughed at the comment. Steve tilted his head, trying to understand the girl... young lady. _She seems to have a way to make everyone still know it was okay to keep living. Coulson must have known what he was doing._  
"Arrival in ten," alerted the pilot. Her cold warning startled the four into attention. They weren't there to make friends. They were to install a new cog into the machine. They were to call in a new player for the game. They were to introduce a new actor for the role.  
"Copy that," answered Natasha, smiling still from the joke. "Time to get settled in and show us what your made of, Elle. Are you ready?"  
"I'd say I was born ready, but that'd be lying," Elle answers in her dry humored tone. "I wasn't even ready to live yet." She sat back down and covered her legs with the blanket. "How are you not cold, Spidey?"  
Both the hero and the man of iron were surprised when Natasha laughed at the pet name. Obviously, Natasha was, once again, on top on intelligence here. She knew the girl enough for her to joke around with. "Stop, we need to be serious."  
"No, we have to be serious in te- okay, eight, now. Did you not hear Peterson, you copied... I thought you did," she was playfully saying, she looked over at the guys and added them. "Did she not copy the message?"  
"That's what I heard," agreed Tony, too eager to join in on the fun. Steve nodded, trying hard not to laugh at the jesting. It was unusual for them all to go in laughing and in good humor.  
"See? You should know we have time, Natasha..." added Elle. She playfully discussed half to Natasha and half to herself, in a goofy pattern, "I dunno what's the issue, I mean, you know the time, I dun get why you're all freakin' out, man..."  
"Oh, shut up, Ellie," laughed Natasha. She was beginning to lose a lot of her doubt about the add-on. _You better know what you were doing, Coulson. She better be the secret soldier that you believed._


End file.
